The invention relates to a dispenser for powdered substances such as soap or the like which are customarily packaged in rectangular cardboard boxes.
Dish and clothes washing detergents of the powdered form are conventionally packaged in rectangular cartons having an opening located near one of the upper corners. The product is dispensed by tilting the carton thereby causing the powdered substance to flow through the opening or spout and often results in a certain amount of spillage, especially in the case where it must be poured into a measuring cup prior to addition to the washing machine. Furthermore, such containers for soap are normally quite large and bulky and therefore susceptible to being inadvertently knocked over, again causing spillage of the product. Since many of today's detergents are in highly concentrated form, it is also important that they be accurately measured and dispensed so that damage to the machines through excess sudsing is avoided.
To avoid the problems mentioned above, it is desirable to provide a soap dispenser having a hopper and lower discharge outlet with means for metering the quantity of soap dispensed.
Although dispensers generally of this type are quite common, none of them provide means for accurately indexing the metering device which is both simple in construction and located such that it can operate without interference from the soap which is being dispensed.